To land a summer job isn’t easy these days. While the great recession has ended, the truth is that what were once high school summer jobs is now being recruited by adults. However, persistent and well-prepared teens can land a summer job. Here are my top five tips for summer job seekers.
If you are in college and hoping to use an internship to put your foot in the financial industry door, you are not alone. The competition to land a summer job is bound to be intense, but the good news is that there are some things you can do to boost your chances of landing a position that will equip you with the skills and experience needed to succeed in a variety of finance-related fields.
When should I start applying for summer jobs?
For some students, the widespread impacts following the disruption of COVID-19 can directly affect their career plans. In more competitive positions, students often begin applying for summer jobs during the fall before graduation, and many rely on internships to transition to a full-time job. In fact, according to NACE, 53% of students who took an internship received at least one job offer last year, but with so many courses canceled this year, that crucial path has become difficult to come by.
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Since this year is so different, you’ll benefit from taking a few extra steps of what others have done before to land a summer job. Sure, you can spend your summer vacation temporarily working for a data processing company or filing medical records for a local clinic, but all summer jobs don’t have to be work and no play. Summer vacation is a great opportunity to try jobs or positions that you might not have thought of otherwise, and the nature of summer vacation means that there are a lot of exciting options to choose from.
The warm weather we experienced last week was another reminder that summer is fast approaching – and with it, it provides the perfect opportunity for young people to earn cash and gain experience while out of school. Whether you are a high school student looking for your first job or a recent college graduate looking to gain experience in your chosen field, finding work for the summer months can be challenging. With so much competition and limited positions, it’s easy to feel defeated before you start advancing.
Summer is great because as a student, you have a lot more time compared to the school year. If you want to take advantage of that time, you may consider getting a summer job! If you are not sure where to start, you can follow our tips below land a summer job.
How to land a summer job
· Personalize your application
It’s easy for an experienced tenant to tell you when they receive the same cover letter that has been sent to dozens of other employers. Write a personalized cover letter for each application and make it as personal as possible. Start by addressing the letter directly to the employer, rather than just to “who it may concern” or the “hiring manager.” Search the company’s website to learn more about its history, mission statement, and the products and / or services it offers. This way, you can state in your cover letter how your values align with the company’s values, or how you would like to use one of the products they sell.
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For your CV, change it for each job you apply for. If you are applying to a summer camp, include all of the childcare experiences you have, and when you apply for a landscaping site, exchange the babysitting experience with your own lawn care experience. If you want to be really bold, you can even match the colors and fonts on your resume with those of the company you’re applying to.
· Build your presence on LinkedIn
Your ability to stand a chance is almost as strong as your network. If you haven’t already, use LinkedIn to connect with people in the industries and roles that matter to you – even just to chat, seek advice, or praise their work. Sure, you can use the LinkedIn job search tool to find available jobs, but engaging with professionals in an original way is more beneficial to build your professional circle, which will help you in the future. Another tactic you should use is when you find a job that interests you, consider reaching out to the recruiter who has posted them, and presenting yourself as someone looking for future opportunities in this field. Most people don’t take this initiative, so by making this connection, they are more likely to remember you and put you in mind in the near future.
· Check out recruitment programs
But remember to plan ahead and move forward with legitimate organizations. In almost every case, you will need a visa or work permit to do any paid work or even volunteer abroad, so if you are considering working or training abroad during your summer vacation, be sure to start the process as soon as possible. There are many programs and organizations that employ students or place them in international work experiences. If you have experience working with children, consider signing up with a marital agency. You won’t make much money, but you will have a fair amount of free time and the opportunity to learn a new language.
· Update your CV
This should be obvious, but we thought it wouldn’t hurt to remind you. Before going out and applying for jobs, be sure to update your resume before submitting or uploading it to job sites. If you are concerned that you don’t have enough experience (or any experience) to include, take advantage of your in-class experiences, volunteering, and projects you’ve built that can demonstrate your essential skills. Key skills such as critical thinking, written communication, leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration are required with employers in various industries, regardless of your career path.
· Get applications on time
It should go without saying, but you should know the deadline for submitting the application, then make sure to submit it on time. Moreover, you must be careful in your efforts to complete the order. Writing should be clean and easy to read. Remember that employers often receive dozens, and in some cases hundreds or even thousands, of applications for their internship positions, and it’s crucial to make a great first impression.
